CANADA APPRECIATES REAL STORY ON FIVE CUBAN SPIES

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 002028 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2013 TAGS: PREL CU CA SUBJECT: CANADA APPRECIATES REAL STORY ON FIVE CUBAN SPIES REF: STATE 198831 Classified By: Pol MC Brian Flora for reasons 1.5(b) and (d). (C) Post delivered talking points contained reftel on July 15, 2003 to Kimberly Cowan, desk officer for Cuba in DFAIT's Caribbean and Central America Division. Cowan expressed appreciation for the information, saying she frequently receives inquiries from Canadians who are convinced the U.S. is violating the human rights of the five Cuban spies. Cowan said a lot of misinformation about the case has been spread by a pro-Castro group called the Canadian-Cuban Friendship Association, which refers to the prisoners as the "Miami Five." This group is seeking to organize a visit to Canada by family members of the prisoners, in an effort to gain sympathy from Canadians for their situation. Comment: Should such a visit occur, and if it receives much attention from the Canadian press, post recommends press guidance be prepared setting out, in detail, the full due process provided by the American justice system in this case. End comment. CELLUCCI